Menu
Sign In Search Podcasts Charts People & Topics Add Podcast API Pricing
Podcast Image

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship

#150 - Join or Die: Pickleball, Potlucks, Democracy, and Your Health: Rebecca and Pete Davis

10 Jun 2025

Description

In this milestone 150th episode of Dear Nina, we’re diving deep into friendship and community with siblings and co-directors Rebecca Davis and Pete Davis, the team behind the Netflix documentary Join or Die: A film about why you should join a club and why the fate of America depends on it.Inspired by the groundbreaking work of political scientist Robert Putnam (Bowling Alone), Join or Die explores the powerful link between social connection, the health of our democracy, and our mental and physical health on an individual level.If you’ve been feeling stuck, isolated, or unsure where to begin when it comes to finding your people and more meaning in your life, this episode is a place to start. HIGHLIGHTS:Why so many people feel they don’t have enough friends or diverse friendships.The difference between community and friendship--and why we need both.What “social capital” actually means and why it affects everything from your mental health to the quality of your local government.Why loneliness isn’t just a personal issue, it’s a civic one.How we went from a culture of joiners to one of solo scrollers, and how we can change that.Practical tips on joining or starting something meaningful, even if you're intimidated. LINKS & RESOURCESWatch the film: Join or DieHost a screening in your community! Find out how on the film’s website.Listen to previous episode mentioned #135: The Hyperlocal Friendship ChallengeAlso #138: The Neighborhood Village and How Community is Different From Friendship: with Seth D. KaplanMeet Rebecca Davis & Pete Davis, co-directors and co-producersRebecca Davis was a senior producer with NBC News for nearly a decade, where her work focused on social movements, environmental and economic justice, and community innovators. Pete Davis is a writer and civic advocate and a former student of Robert Putnam's. He is the author of Dedicated: The Case for Commitment in An Age of Infinite Browsing. He is the co-founder of the Democracy Policy Network, a policy organization focused on raising up ideas that deepen democracy. ALL THE DEAR NINA LINKS + CONTACT INFO📢 How to promote your service, business, or book on Dear Nina📱 Subscribe to my newsletter “Conversations About Friendship” on Substack❤️ Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, & the Dear Nina Facebook group📪 Ask an anonymous friendship question🔎 Want to work with me on your podcast, your friendships, or need another link? That’s probably here.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Audio
Featured in this Episode

No persons identified in this episode.

Transcription

This episode hasn't been transcribed yet

Help us prioritize this episode for transcription by upvoting it.

0 upvotes
🗳️ Sign in to Upvote

Popular episodes get transcribed faster

Comments

There are no comments yet.

Please log in to write the first comment.